when you are old by william butler yeats

The poem "When You Are Old" by William Butler Yeats is as follows: When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep; How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face; And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars. This poem reflects on aging, love, and memory, contrasting superficial love with a deeper affection for the soul beyond physical beauty.